Our New Year's Eve Reflection

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
Erick: Making progress on selling the house and actually pulling the trigger to do some stuff.
Heather: Paid more attention to our finances.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
Erick: Figuring out health issues.
Heather: Ditto

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
Erick: Paying off back HOA dues and going to the Shocker game the other night. The kids really got into it and it was really fun.
Heather: Feel like there were little downs through the year (financially or other) and they got me down. Then, it seemed like someone was looking out for us and all of a sudden something good happened. Good things happening are always nice. :)

4. What was an unexpected obstacle or not so great thing?
Erick: Uncle Bob and Uncle Dave passing away.
Heather: All of the issues with my grandparents' health and my stepdad's health. Some not so unexpected, I guess, but still not great.

5. Pick three words to describe this past year.
Erick: Growth, progressive, joy
Heather: Busy, strong, fast

6. Three words to describe your spouse's year.
Erick: I would describe Heather's year as...challenging, blossoming, and maturing
Heather: I would describe Erick's year as...full of challenges, growth and initiative

7. What were the best books you read this year?
Erick: Wolf of Wallstreet, The Forgotten
Heather: Wife 22, The Kitchen House

8. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
Erick: Heather, Ava and Brecken
Heather: Erick, Ava and Brecken

9. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
Erick: Learning how to mix family life and professional life with my job. It's tough for me because when I'm on a trip, I'm the one in charge and then I come back home and have to work myself back into the family unit.
Heather: I don't feel like I've had a big change. Is that sad? I know changes I would like to make, though!

10. In what way did you grow emotionally?
Erick: Rediscovering emotions that I haven't dealt with.
Heather: I feel like I have gotten stronger emotionally. With Erick's job, I have to be on top of things and sort of like a single mom on occasion. It's made me more independent. Sometimes that's been good, and sometimes not so much.

11. In what way did you grow spiritually?
Erick: Relying on God more and waiting for His plan.
Heather: I feel like I grew spiritually while on our Marriage Retreat last February but did not continue that journey as much as I would have liked.

12. In what way did you grow physically?
Erick: I had an eye opener and am taking better care of myself.
Heather: Nope. Got nothin' for this one. I suck.

13. In what way did you grow in your relationships with others?
Erick: I haven't done this. I would like to rekindle relationships with old friends.
Heather: I feel like Erick and I keep getting stronger and continue to communicate more and act as a team. As people in my family get older, I feel like I am becoming more of a person that needs to take care of them instead of the other way around. I'd also like to have stronger relationships with a couple of girlfriends.

14. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
Erick: Surprise, AZ was enjoyable for me because it was the second biggest opening and I was on fire! At home, going to Holiday Island, having dance parties, just having time.
Heather: Professionally, I enjoy seeing the kids in my class grow, change and learn. It's kind of the same for home. I love being with my family and love doing things for and with them. I think it's awesome to see the kids learn so much and have so many great ideas. I absolutely loved our summer this past year. It was the best yet since having kids! It seems like we got to spend so much time together as a family and that's my favorite thing in the world.

15. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
Erick: Figuring out the traveling schedule and making sure my wife trusts me.
Heather: Being a single mom when Erick is out of town and working on not being such a control freak at home. At work, it's just keeping my patience and love for teaching while still doing everything else I need/want to do in my home life.

16. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this year?
Erick: Drinking
Heather: PINTEREST! Holy hell, it just sucks me in!

17. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
Erick: Spending it with the family.
Heather: Any time spent with my family was very well spent. Time spent budgeting with Erick was also really good...even though I hate it.

18. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?
Erick: I've learned how to take care of things in a timely manner.
Heather: That I can do a lot more than I think I can.

19. Create a phrase or statement that describes this past year for you.
Progress!

Questions from theartofsimple.net

10 Questions for a New Year's Eve Reflection...for the Littles!

Questions from theartofsimple.net

1. What was your favorite thing from this past spring?
Ava: I liked Easter and collecting eggs from the Easter Bunny.
Brecken: I liked Easter and eating chocolate.

2. What was your favorite thing from this past summer?
Ava: Holiday Island!
Brecken: I liked going to the zoo.

3. What was your favorite thing from this past fall?
Ava: I liked trick-or-treating and getting candy.
Brecken: Going to school!

4. What was your favorite thing from this past winter?
Ava: Playing in the snow.
Brecken: I liked to do snowball fights.

5. What was the hardest thing that happened?
Ava: Going to Hyde and making new friends.
Brecken: Learning and stuff.

6. What were the best books you read this year?
Ava: Biscuit in the Winter
Brecken: Gus Loses a Tooth

7. Who were the important people in your life?
Ava: Mommy and Daddy
Brecken: Ava

8. What was your favorite thing that you learned this year?
Ava: Vowels...some letters make different sounds. A, O, I...ummm, I don't know the rest.
Brecken: I liked doing jobs at my school, doing circle time. I like doing the weather.

10. How do you hope this next year will be different for you?
Ava: I am going to try new things!
Brecken: I don't know, Mommy.

GOALS FOR THE YEAR:
Swim more-Ava
Find a tree to climb-Ava
Climb a tree-Brecken
Go to the park-Ava
Play baseball-Brecken
Dig a tunnel in the ground-Ava
Get bigger so I can lift a car-Brecken
Learn yoga-Ava
Keep my room clean-Ava
Learn to play my ukulele-Ava

The Lastest Random Phone Pics

A few of these may already be on here somewhere or many of you may have seen them on Facebook or Instagram, but here are some of the latest phone pics. Totally random.

Erick and I before the Alpha Phi Red Dress Gala (the sorority my nieces are in)

Red Dress Gala...with my nieces and sister

Spy Kids

Me and my girl

Ava loves to draw!



A great day at the park!



Ava and I on a date!



Went to see High School Musical, the play



B's Thanksgiving program

My Littles

It was a tent-making kind of day.

Another day at the park

Little Monkey

Cheeeeeeeese!

Miss Ava made this for me while she was supposed to be in bed asleep. How could I be mad?

B was a little nervous about the big man.

Tell Santa what you want!

Erick lost his wedding ring for over a week. Looked everywhere for it. It was a little big and fell off somewhere and he had no idea where. B's preschool teacher ended up finding it in the classroom while he was on a work trip. Ava made this note for him and we left it on the table and surprised him when he got home.  

I got to volunteer at Ava's school for Theme Day! I loved it and wish I could do it so much more!

Chariot races!



Love these babies!

Pretty darn excited about all of his superheroes!

My little angel on Christmas Eve.



Ava's great grandma Jean. Got to take a little ride down the hall to see Grandpa!

Ava knows I love Starbucks. Love this.



B loves to drive the Gator at the ranch!

At the ranch



Me and my little guy

Before their first Shocker game!

My dad gave us tickets and we had so much fun!

Shockers are 13-0!



Ava and Daddy

We made it on the Jumbo Tron twice!



Thank goodness we got to take a pic with Wu!

Christmas at the Ranch

Okay, this is the last Christmas celebration! I promise! We went to the ranch for the weekend to celebrate with Erick's parents and the weather was beautiful! We really lucked out!

Hopefully I can get all of the 2013 pictures and blogging done today, so I can feel on top of things!

Another Christmas Celebration

The first Christmas that we actually celebrated this month was with my dad, Susan and the Henaks. The Littles always have a great time with their fabulous cousins! We had BBQ for dinner, opened presents, hung out, and then made the annual trip to Botanica to check out the lights. It was pretty darn cold out, but it was still fun!

Writing letters to Santa